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Mini confirms production of 2-door Paceman: Autoweek TV

July 5, 2012

Also in this episode: The Mazda MX-5 Miata receives a styling update, we mourn the death of automotive enthusiast Martin Swig and a pair of Renault A110s--one a classic, one a concept--tear up the Alps.

TRANSCRIPT

-- Mini picks the Paceman.

-- Mazda's roadster gets a makeover.

-- We mourn the passing of a great car enthusiast.

-- And we'll watch a pair of Renault sports cars duel in the mountains.

I'm Natalie, wrapping up the week with a Friday edition of Autoweek TV. Here's the hot news for today:

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The two-door version of the Mini Countryman wagon will wear the Paceman name. That move was confirmed by Mini boss Kay Segler at the start of the Mini Takes the States road rally.

The Paceman will be the seventh model in the Mini lineup. We figure there will be Cooper and John Cooper Works versions, as well as all-wheel drive.

The Paceman reaches showrooms in 2013.

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Mazda has given the MX-5 Miata roadster a slight makeover for the Japan market.

The changes include restyling of the front fascia with some bigger openings for a more aggressive look.

Under the hood, Mazda recalibrated the software for the throttle control on cars with the manual transmission for better response coming out of corner. And the brakes on all Miatas are refined.

Look for some of these changes to filter into U.S. MX-5s later this year.

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Martin Swig, founder of the California Mille and a racer of great vintage cars, died on July 3 from a stroke he suffered at his home in northern California. He was 78.

Swig got his start selling Alfas and Fiats in San Francisco in the 1950s. Swig built his business to include 22 different marques--everything from Rolls-Royce to Suzuki under one roof. By the 1990s he was able to sell the dealerships for enough money that he got to spend the rest of his life playing with cars.

He cofounded the California Mille Miglia historic rally in 1991. Swig's enthusiasm for cars, driving and dining led him to start rallies and events as diverse as the Drum Brake Rally, the Double 500 (500 kilometers in cars that cost less than $500) and the New Year's Anti-Football Rally.

A memorial service will be held July 20 in San Francisco.

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That's the news for this week.

Renault is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the A110 sports car with the A110-50 concept. And it invited former rally driver Jean Ragnotti to take the car for a drive.